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Tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians crave daily injections of heroin. Beyond the threat of overdose is the threat of being exposed to HIV and hepatitis C, both deadly and expensive illnesses that are easily spread through contaminated needles.

But in Pennsylvania, distributing sterile syringes is a criminal act.

For years, Dianna Pagan feared that giving out clean syringes in Reading would land her in jail. Officials there recently agreed to let her needle exchange operate, though she’s faced numerous setbacks for more than a decade, including being shut down following the threat of prosecution.

Tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians
crave daily injections of heroin. Beyond the threat of overdose is the
threat of being exposed to HIV and hepatitis C, both deadly and
expensive illnesses that are easily spread through contaminated needles.

But in Pennsylvania, distributing sterile syringes is a criminal act.

For years, Dianna
Pagan feared that giving out clean syringes in Reading would land her
in jail. Officials there recently agreed to let her needle exchange
operate, though she’s faced numerous setbacks for more than a decade,
including being shut down following the threat of prosecution.

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives this week approved House Bill 59 authored by Rep. Matt Baker (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter), chairman of the House Health Committee, that would require physicians to offer hepatitis C screening to patients born between 1945 and 1965.

“If it is determined a patient tests positive for hepatitis C, he or she would then be offered follow-up health care,” said Baker. “Treatment today can vastly improve a person’s quality of life and result in better health outcomes, including being cured of the disease.”

Baker noted that actively screening for hepatitis C, as opposed to waiting for symptoms and more serious diseases to arise from having the disease, will also result in major cost savings for taxpayers. In fact, the estimated medical costs associated with treating Baby Boomers with hepatitis C, many of whom will age into the Medicare system at age 65, will rise from $30 billion in 2009 to $85 billion annually by 2024.

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives this week
approved House Bill 59 authored by Rep. Matt Baker
(R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter), chairman of the House Health Committee, that
would require physicians to offer hepatitis C screening to patients born
between 1945 and 1965.

“If it is determined a patient tests positive for hepatitis
C, he or she would then be offered follow-up health care,” said Baker.
“Treatment today can vastly improve a person’s quality of life and
result in better health outcomes, including being cured of the disease.”

Baker
noted that actively screening for hepatitis C, as opposed to waiting
for symptoms and more serious diseases to arise from having the disease,
will also result in major cost savings for taxpayers. In fact, the
estimated medical costs associated with treating Baby Boomers with
hepatitis C, many of whom will age into the Medicare system at age 65,
will rise from $30 billion in 2009 to $85 billion annually by 2024.

For patients with hepatitis C, the last year has brought great hope: New drugs that are highly effective with few side effects. But their high cost has led Medicaid officials in Pennsylvania and other states to put up barriers for patients, treating only the sickest ones and leaving many others to wait.

“This is an unprecedented approach we’ve had to take with these drugs,” said Terri Cathers, pharmacy director for Pennsylvania’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs. “We’ve not done this before for other treatments as long as I’ve been in the business.”

The approach, she said, is a direct result of the cost, which can range up to $150,000 per patient.

For patients with hepatitis C, the last
year has brought great hope: New drugs that are highly effective with
few side effects. But their high cost has led Medicaid officials in
Pennsylvania and other states to put up barriers for patients, treating
only the sickest ones and leaving many others to wait.

“This is an unprecedented approach we’ve had to take with these
drugs,” said Terri Cathers, pharmacy director for Pennsylvania’s Office
of Medical Assistance Programs. “We’ve not done this before for other
treatments as long as I’ve been in the business.”

The approach, she said, is a direct result of the cost, which can range up to $150,000 per patient.

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